Public Scum and Villainy (Nar Shaddaa: Criminal Gathering)

[Corin Vale]

Corin’s eyes widened with recognition and he turned around to face who’d spoken to him. That shit-eating grin immediately made him clench his fist tight around his drink and he turned back around, “Another,” he ordered, his voice lower than usual.

“Ms. ‘Lugosi’," he said with a sarcastic flair as he took a drink, not looking at her. “Wouldn’t you know it, I checked. That ain’t a real person, least, if she is you ain’t her.”
He turned around, a scowl on his face as he eyed her up and down.

“You…any idea the kinda trouble you got me into?” He asked, raising his palm to emphasize the question. His eyes searched hers for something. Anything.


Tags: Kinley Pryse | Mauve du Vain | @Open

 

[Kinley Pryse]

You've been hit by... you've been struck by...

Most devils have the courtesy to look guilty. Kinley Pryse just smiles.

​

"You…any idea the kinda trouble you got me into?"

Kinley laughed softly and shifted the toothpick to the other side of her mouth.

"Aw, don't go takin' it personal, darlin'. It was just business."

And business had been very good. That job alone had netted her over a million credits. Flint had gotten his cut, which meant he was off her back for the time being, a rare blessing.

She leaned against the bar and gave him a once-over.

"What about you? This place'll eat a soft-hearted fool alive." A crooked grin tugged at her lips. "So what's a sap like you doin' here?"


Corin Vale

A Smooth Criminal

 

[Corin Vale]

Corin couldn’t help but scoff. “Just business huh?” He turned towards his drink, “Your business stinks, sister.” Corin stared into his drink, that quiet anger continuing to boil just below the surface.

“I dunno what choices you made gotcha to who y’are…‘Bella’,” he said out of the side of his mouth as he brought the glass to his lips, “but those choices got me here.” He looked towards the VIP section, “Here to see the big lady. I’m hopin’ to get good and lost. ‘Cause o’you, I can’t go home. I can’t see people who care about me. I can’-” he slams his fist on the bar and turns towards her,

“Business,” he repeated with a scowl. He knew in his heart the angrier he got, the more it was clear what she’d done had affected him, the more enjoyment she had. And that just made him angrier.

“What do you want Bella,” he said, no hint of inquisitive inflection in his voice, after taking a breath and turning back towards the bar,

“Ain’t much life o’mine left for you to ruin, girl.”

Kinley Pryse

 

[Kinley Pryse]

You've been hit by... you've been struck by...

Kinley Pryse is the patron saint of bad decisions ​

If Kinley had any heartstrings left, his talk about not seeing the people he loved might've found one. But she'd learned a long time ago that sentiment was a luxury. The galaxy chewed up soft people and spat out the bones. Survival belonged to those willing to make hard choices and sleep just fine afterward.

She snorted and shook her head.

"That's the kind of thinking that landed you here in the first place, partner."

Kinley leaned back against the bar.

"Bounties disappear when somebody collects 'em. Prison sentences disappear when somebody important decides they should. Everything's got a price."

The bartender slid another mocktail her way. She tucked the toothpick into her pocket, lifted the glass, and took a slow sip before continuing.

"Lucky for you, I specialize in expensive solutions."

The corner of her mouth twitched into something that wasn't quite a smile.

"I could make this problem go away."

She left the cost unspoken. People who knew Kinley Pryse knew nothing she touched came cheap.

After a moment, she tipped her glass toward the upper level.

"Or you can head upstairs and tell Mauve your sob story. She'll probably enjoy it more than I did."


Corin Vale

A Smooth Criminal

 

[Corin Vale]

Corin squinted and scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief as he continued to stare into his drink.

“Girl, how damaged are you?” he asked, allowing himself a small chuckle.

“That kinda thinkin’ led me here? Gainful employment?” He turned his head to face her, chuckling again at the absurdity of it. “How dare I? Shoulda’ known livin’ my life followin’ the law, mindin’ my business would eventually spiral-” he spun his finger in the air, “into me fallin’ into the criminal underworld. ‘Course. An’ what kinda thinkin’ led you here?”

The offer of an expensive solution was met with a shake of his head, “Way I figure, were I to trust any solution you offered, Bella,” he said, continuing to emphasize the false name ‘Bella’, “I’d say you’d owe me. How much was on that ship? Million? Two?” He turned away from her.


His smile died and he turned his whole body towards her, “A sob story. Wow.” He dropped his head, his fingers tapping the side of his glass. “That’s what it is? You do everythin’ right, someone’s selfish decision ruins your life, an’ that’s a sob story?” He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly through his mouth to keep from exploding. “Were you born a scughole or was it somethin’ you worked at?”

Kinley Pryse

 

[Makar Clyne]

A card trick, no matter how pedestrian, was always appreciated by a fellow showman. Makar was quick to take a seat, keeping a keen eye on the cards. Even with his trained perception, Makar had a hard time following the shuffle. It was an impressive feat to move them so fluidly, and a sign the game would be interesting.

"People often misunderstand Sabacc," Makar said, swirling his wine around his glass. "They believe it is a game of sheer luck, but I'm sure we both know there's a great deal of skill in it."

Gambling wasn't something Makar indulged in often, he preferred games where he could better control the odds. He appreciated Sabbac though, it had enough variance to feel exciting, but still required some amount of strategy. Betting on the way the cards fell took an amount of game knowledge. It also had quite a history behind it.

"It is believed, according to my recollection, that the cards in a Sabacc deck have powers of divination. That the cards have some greater meaning," Makar paused to give a smile, inspecting the cards being dealt. "Tell me, do you believe these cards have powers over men? Or do you believe we forge our own fate?"

It seemed like idle small talk, but Makar liked posing questions during games. It helped measure an opponent, and after all, that was the aim of this game. Sly wanted to get to know him through this game of cards. Makar was likewise hoping to get information for his own aims. His plans for the galaxy were much larger than one hand of cards...

Tags: Sly Chance , Mauve du Vain , Kinley Pryse , Calyx Sundrift , Henriwatta Wabbo , Koda Fett , Corin Vale , Jolly Walker ​

 

[Henriwatta Wabbo]

CLUB VERTICA - NAR SHADDAA
​

Henriwatta blinked as Kinley shot her a sarcastic reply, popped a toothpick into her mouth, and strolled right past her. The Toydarian floated back a few inches in the air, a thick plume of cigarra smoke escaping from her snout in silent indignation.

"Well, aren't we just a little ray of sunshine," Henriwatta grumbled into her glass, taking a bitter, annoyed sip of her Whyren's Reserve as she turned in the air, planning to follow the galaxy's most notorious criminal or at least hand her a business catalog, but the crowded lounge around them had other ideas.

A massive, bumbling Gamorrean bodyguard stepped directly into Henriwatta's flight path, forcing her to swerve to avoid spilling her expensive whiskey. By the time she floated above the brute's heavily armored shoulder, the slippery human girl had disappeared from her line of sight.

She hovered a bit higher, her eyes scanning across the room until she finally spotted the familiar jacket near the bar. She was meeting with some scruffy nervous-looking human Corin Vale who looked like he would run away from an unarmed jawa.

Kinley Pryse was already leaning in with a smile on her face that looked personal. The Toydarian watched for a brief moment taking a slow buff of her cigarra. She let out a dry, gravelly chuckle that turned into a brief, raspy cough.

"Ah, a lover's spat. Or a debt collection. Usually the same difference with that crowd," the Toydarian croaked to herself, rolling her eyes in deep amusement. She swirled the amber liquid in her glass, the heavy gold rings on her webbed fingers clinking softly against the highball.

She briefly considered floating back over there to interrupt and offer the poor man a heavy blaster for self-defense purely for a modest profit, of course but ultimately decided against it.

"Nah. Let the kids have their fun," Henriwatta muttered, blowing a perfect smoke ring toward the ceiling.

"I let my galactic marriage counseling license expire last rotation anyway. Too much paperwork, not enough margin." Turning her back on the brewing drama at the bar, Henriwatta turned her attention back to the rest of the VIP lounge. There were still plenty of gangsters in this room who hadn't given her the cold shoulder yet, and more importantly, plenty who looked like they had the credits to afford her premium inventory.

Sly Chance Mauve du Vain Makar Clyne Koda Fett Jacen Breska

 

[Jolly Walker]

​

As the various criminals began to mingle about the bar, Jolly saw an opening for an introduction.

The pirate made his way over to the host of the evening, Mauve du Vain . Now was the time to be expanding his connections within the business. The name of Pyrrah Tae would hold some notability within the underworld, but once someone bit the blaster, power was up for grabs. Being the quartermaster of The Exchange came with benefits, but it would not be enough.

"Ah, the zenithal Zeltron herself, Mauve. A pleasure."

Jolly offered his signature half bow as a way of greeting.

"My name is Jolly Walker, the new Headmaster of The Exchange. I know that you connected business with my former leader, Pyrrah Tae, within the Black Sun Syndicate."

Letting his words hang in the air for a moment, the man gave her time to recall any dealings that may have took place with the late pirate.

"He has since passed. Unfortunate news, but the credits must flow. Perhaps The Exchange may be of use to your operations once again?"

Whiskey swirled around in his glass. Raising to his lips, Jolly took a drink, curious to see what the Vigo's response was going to be.

 

[Sly Chance]

"There's no liars in this game. Just players."

Sly loaded a full deck of cards from his duster and randomized it with a fancy spring shuffle that passed each card in a cascading fountain from one hand to the other. Meanwhile the duros never took his crimson eyes off his opponent while the towering pirate lord questioned him on the nature of free will.

"No mystical energy field controls my destiny," the ghost of a smile touched blue lips, "The only laws that matter are what a man can do and what a man can't do."

At last he began dealing cards. It must have taken a lot of practice to look so careless while somehow sliding each one across the bar perfectly. Every motion that Sly made hinted at some truly remarkable reflexes.

"Corellian Spike rules," a pair of dice appeared between them through misdirection, "What's your wager?"

Knowing what Makar Clyne was willing to risk would be useful. How many credits did the pirate think this conversation was worth, or would Sly be lured by something else of value?

 

[Kinley Pryse]

You've been hit by... you've been struck by...

The galaxy's been trying to teach Kinley Pryse a lesson for years but she keeps skipping class.​

Kinley let out a low chuckle as his temper finally boiled over. It was almost endearing. Either he was new to trading insults, or he'd never had to throw them at a woman before.

The underworld would eat a man like him alive if he didn't learn faster.

"Your call, mate." She tipped her glass back and drained the last of the non-alcoholic drink. "Take your chances with Mauve if you want. Me?" She flashed him a crooked grin. "I'm offering a sure thing."

Setting the empty glass on the bar, she pushed away from her stool and started toward the door.

"Clock's tickin'."

She didn't look back. There was no need to. The faint scrape of a chair or the sound of footsteps behind her would tell her everything she needed to know.

Thread Exit
Corin Vale ​

A Smooth Criminal